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The Egyptian Heaven and Hell

By E. A. Wallis Budge

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The Book of Am-Tuat-The Twelfth Division of the Tuat Which Is Called Then-Neteru

THE TWELFTH DIVISION 1 of the Tuat, which is passed through by the Sun-god during the TWELFTH HOUR of the night, is introduced by three lines of text, which read:--

"The Majesty of this great god taketh up his position in this Circle, which is the uttermost limit of thick darkness, and this great god is born in his form of Khepera in this Circle, and Nut and Nu are in this Circle for the birth of this great god when he cometh forth from the Tuat and taketh up his position in the Matet Boat, and when he riseth up from the thighs of Nut. The name of the Gate of this City is THEN-NETERU. The name of this City is KHEPER-KEKIU-KHAU-MESTU. The name of the hour of the night wherein this god cometh into being is MAA-NEFERT-RA."

Above the whole scene is a line of hieroglyphics, which describes it as:--

"The hidden Circle in the Tuat wherein this great god is born; he cometh forth into the pool of Nu, and he taketh up his place in the body of Nut. Whosoever shall make a copy thereof according to the copies which exist in writing upon the east [wall

 

The Boat of the Sun in the last hour of the Night.

 

of] the palace, and shall know it upon earth, it shall act as a magical protector for him both in heaven and upon earth."

In the middle register are:--

1. The boat of the sun, in which stands the god under a canopy formed by the body of the serpent Mehen; on his head are horns and a disk. In the fore part of the, boat is the beetle of KHEP[R]A,

i.e., Khepera, which takes the place of the solar disk that rested on the prow of the boat in the Eleventh Hour.

The text reads: "This great god in this picture journeyeth along through this City by means of the faithful servants (amkhiu) of this hidden image ANKH-NETERU. His gods draw him along by a cord, and he entereth into his tail and cometh forth from his mouth, and cometh to the birth under the form of Khepera, and the gods who are in his boat [do] likewise. He taketh up his place on the face of the hidden image of the horn (or, forehead) of the sky at the end of the thick darkness, and his hands seal lip the Tuat. Then this great god taketh up his position in the Eastern Horizon of heaven, and Shu receiveth him, and he cometh into being in the East."

2. Twelve gods, who are occupied in towing along the boat of the Sun, each with his head turned behind him and looking at the boat; their names are:--

1. HERU.

2. SHEMSU.

3. THENA.

4. BEQ.

5. AU-ANKHIU-F.

6. SEBEHU-F.

7. AHA-RER.

8. AMKHUI.

9. NEB-AMAKH.

10. SEKI (?).

11. HEQ-NEK-MU,

12. AU.

The text which refers to these reads:

"Those who are in this picture draw this great god through the tail (or, bowels) of the serpent Ankh-neteru. The loyal servants of Ra who are in his following are the product of his hands, and they are born on the earth each day after the birth of this great god in the eastern portion of the sky. They enter into this hidden image of Ankh-neteru in the form of loyal servants, and they come forth in the renewed forms of Ra every day. When they tarry upon the earth it is an abomination to them to utter the name of the god."

3. The monster serpent KA-EM-ANKH-NETERU.

4. Twelve goddesses, who are occupied in towing the boat of the sun through the body of the serpent KA-EM-ANKH-NETERU; each has her head turned behind her, and is looking at the boat. Their names are:--

1. STAT.

2. KHERU-UTCHAT.

p. 262

3. KHET.

4. SPERT-NETER-S.

5. NEBTAMT.

6. NEB-TCHETTA.

7. HETIT.

8. ANKHET-ERMEN.

9. KHERUT-TEP (?).

10. HETEP-EM-KHUT-S.

11. BET-NETER-S.

12. TESER-ABT.

The text relating to the serpent reads:

 

Twelve gods of the last hour of the night.

 

Twelve goddesses of the last hour of the night.

 

"Those who are here are they who have their bodies, and they come forth in the following of this great god into heaven. This is the hidden image of the serpent Ankh-neteru, which is by his den in the Tuat, and he resteth in [his] place every day. This great god speaketh to him in [his] name of NA, [and the space covered by] his forepaws and legs is one thousand three hundred cubits long . . . . . . .; he liveth upon the sound of the rumblings of the earth. The servants who are loyal to his service come forth from [his] mouth every day."

The text relating to the twelve goddesses reads: "Those who are in this picture take the towing rope of the boat of Ra when it cometh forth from the serpent ANKH-NETERU, and they tow this great god into the sky, and lead him along the ways of the upper sky. It is they who make to arise in the sky gentle winds and humid breezes, and it is they who order those who live [upon earth] to place themselves in the great boat in the sky."

In the upper register are:--

1. Twelve goddesses, each of whom stands upright, and bears on her shoulders a serpent which belches, forth fire from its mouth; their names are:--

 

Six goddesses with fiery serpents.

1. NEFERT-KHAU.

2. KHET(?)-UAT-EN-RA.

3. NEBT-SESHESH-TA.

4. NEFERT-HER-TEPT.

5. SEUATCHET-ATEBUI-PET.

6. HAT-EM-TAUI-S.

7. QAT-EM-SEPU-S.

8. SEKHET-EM-KHU-S.

9. HAAT-EM-SEPU-S.

10. KHET-ANKH (?)-F.

 

Six goddesses with fiery serpents.

11. PERT-EM-AP.

12. NEBT-AR-EM-UAA-ABT.

The text reads:

"Those who are in this picture with their own bodies, and from whom their uraei emerge, are in the following of this great god when he setteth out for this City. They follow after this god, and the flames which issue from their mouths drive away Apep on behalf of Ra into the Hall of the East of the Horizon. They journey round about the upper heavens in his following [remaining] in their places, and they restore these gods after this great god hath passed by the hidden chamber of the sky, and then they take up their positions [again] in their own abodes. They give pleasure to the hearts of the gods of Amentet through Ra-Heru-khut, and their work upon the earth is to drive away those who are in the darkness by the flames of their uraei which are behind them, and they guide Ra along, and they smite Apep for him in the sky."

2. Twelve gods, each of whom stands upright, and has both hands raised in adoration before him; their names are:--

1. NEB-ANKH.

2. HI.

 

Six gods who praise Ra at dawn.

 

3. NEB-AA.

4. NEB-TUAT.

5. NETCHEM-AB,

6. HAM.

7. UA-AB.

8. HUNNU.

9. SENSABT.

10. MA-TEPU-NETERU.

11. THES-TEPU-NETERU.

12. HEKENU.

The text reads:

 

Six gods who praise Ra at dawn.

 

"Those who are in this picture sing praises unto this great god from dawn, when he taketh up his position in the Hall of the east of the sky. They say unto Ra, 'O thou who art the producer of [thine own] birth, who dost bring into being [thine own] being, [lord of] homage of every soul . . . . .. Heaven belongeth to thy soul, which taketh up its place therein, and the earth belongeth to thy body, thou lord of homage. Thou sailest over the Horizon, thou takest up thy place in thy shrine, the gods in their bodies praise thee; descend thou into the sky and take thou thy two souls through thy magical protectors.' The work of these gods in the Tuat is to praise this great god, and they stand in this City and they count up (or, verify) the gods of the country of Mafket (i.e., Sinai). They descend (?) to earth [before] Ra after he hath taken up his position in the sky and doth rise upon the eyes of mankind in their circles."

In the lower register are:--

1. The god Nu, holding the sceptre and ankh in his left and right hand respectively.

2. The goddess NUT, holding the sceptre and ankh.

3. The god HEHU, holding the sceptre and ankh.

4. The goddess HEHUT, holding the sceptre and ankh.

5. The god TEBAI, man-headed, and holding an oar, or paddle.

 

(Left) The gods who receive Ra. (Right) A god of a paddle.

 

6. The god QASHEFSHEF, man-headed and holding a paddle.

7. The god NEHUI, crocodile-headed, and holding a paddle.

8. The god NI, with the heads of two birds, and holding a paddle.

9. The deity NESMEKHEF, in the form of a serpent, which pours forth fire from its mouth.

10. The god NEBA-KHU, man-headed, and holding a paddle.

11. The god KHENTI-THETH-F, man-headed, and holding a paddle.

12. The god AHA-AB, man-headed, and holding a paddle.

13. The god TUATI, man-headed, and holding a paddle.

14-23. Ten gods, each with his hands raised in adoration; their names are:--

TES-KHU.

THEMA-RE.

AAKHEBU,

SEKHENNU,

ERMENU,

KHENNU-ERMEN.

BUN-A.

KHU-RE.

 

Gods of paddles.

 

(Left) Gods of paddles. (Right) Gods who praise Ra at sunrise.

 

Gods who praise Ra at sunrise.

 

ATHEP.

AM-NETER.

The texts relating to these gods read:--

 

Gods who praise Ra at sunrise.

 

1. "Those who are in this picture in their own bodies join themselves unto Ra in the sky to receive this great god at his coming forth among them in the east of the sky each day. They themselves belong to their Halls of the Horizon, but the forms which they have in the Tuat [belong to] this Circle."

2. "Those who are in this picture with their paddles drive Apep to the back of the sky, after the birth of the god. Their work is to hold up the Great Disk in the Eastern Horizon of the sky every day. Behold the serpent SENMEKHEF which burneth up the enemies of Ra at the dawn! These gods go round about the heights of heaven in the following of this great god every day, and they receive their protection for this Circle."

3. "Those who are in this picture are behind the image of Osiris, who is over the thick darkness. These are the words which this god saith unto them after this great god hath journeyed by it:--'Life [to thee], O thou who art over the darkness! Life [to thee] in all thy majesty! Life [to thee], O governor of Amentet, Osiris, who art over the beings of Amentet! Life to thee! Life to thee! O thou who art over the Tuat, the winds of Ra are to thy nostrils, and the nourishment of Kheper is with thee. Thou livest, and ye live. Hail to Osiris, the lord of the living, that is to say, of the gods who are with Osiris, and who came into being with him the first time.' Those who are behind this hidden Image in this Circle wherein he liveth have their nourishment from the words of this god in their own Tuat."

 

The exit of Ra from the Tuat, i.e., Sunrise.

 

4. He who is in this picture in the invisible form of Horus in the thick darkness, is the hidden image which Shu lifteth up beneath the sky, and KEB-UR cometh forth in the earth in this image."

24. The end of the Tuat, which is represented by a semi-circular wall or border formed of earth and stones, or perhaps granite. At the middle point of this border is the disk of the sun which is about to rise on this world, and joined to it is the head of the "image of Shu," with his arms stretched out along the rounded border of the Tuat. Above his head is the beetle, symbol of Khep[er], who has emerged from the boat of the Sun-god, and below is the "image of Af," that is to say, the body of the night Sun-god, which has been cast away.

END OF VOL. I.

Footnotes
256:1 See Lanzone, Domicile, pl. v.